Miami Beach man arrested in 'Batman' movie panic

(Photo courtesy of the Miami-Dade…)

July 31, 2012|Ihosvani Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

About 140 moviegoers bolted out of a Miami Beach theater in a panic during a late-night showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" after a man wearing black gloves shouted out "this is it" from the back of the crowded theater.

At least 30 Miami Beach Police officers responded to the Regal South Beach theater on Lincoln Road at about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday after receiving multiple reports of gunshots inside Theater No. 2, according to a report released by police.

Police quickly determine it wasn't a shooting, but rather the antics of a man they described as incoherent and possibly drunk.

Three moviegoers, including Nigh Ho, a tourist from Houston, wrestled the man down until police arrived.

"Honestly, I didn't know what was going on," said Ho, 45. "It only took a few seconds to realize that this could be something like what happened in Colorado."

David Martin Escamillo, 44, of Miami Beach was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Escamillo, who police said smelled of alcohol, was repeatedly yelling "I didn't shoot anybody," according to an arrest report. Police found only scattered shoes and sandals throughout the theater and no evidence of any gunshots.

Nobody was reported hurt during the mad rush.

Witnesses told police that Escamillo was originally seated at the back of the theater at the start of the movie. He later got up and went up and down the stairways several times before he got into an argument with another moviegoer, witnesses told police.

Escamillo later left the theater only to return moments later wearing black gloves as the movie was nearing its end.

Ho said he was sitting with his wife and two children when he heard someone yelling. He watched as people rushed toward the exits screaming. He and his family crouched on the floor and waited for the theater to empty.

As Ho and his family exited, he saw a group of people yelling and pointing to a man standing in front of him. Ho said he tackled the man from him.

"I only wanted to make sure nobody gets hurt," Ho said.

Two other patrons joined Ho in holding down Escamillo until police arrived, he said. Ho and his family planned to return to the theater late Tuesday to finish the movie. Moviegoers were told they would get another ticket by showing their receipts.

Escamillo, who lives near the theater and wears a tattoo that reads "Las Vegas 777" was charged with disorderly conduct.

Miami-Dade County Jail records show he was being held on $8,000 bond on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident in Miami Beach comes less than two weeks after the mass shootings inside of an Aurora, Colorado movie theater showing the latest Batman series film.

In the July 20 case, James Eagan Holmes was formally charged on Monday with 142 separate criminal counts in the attack, including 24 for first-degree murder.